Archive for November, 2012

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Around the World in a 10-Foot Boat

Posted on November 1st, 2012 in Uncategorized | No Comments »

The Wall Street Journal reports on Sven Yrvind, a 73-year-old Swede who wants to circumnavigate the globe in a 10-foot long boat he’s building himself. He’s bringing books, sardines and granola.

..the 73-year-old seasoned boat builder plans to wedge inside what he affectionately calls a “survival capsule,” and spend up to a year-and-a-half reading, writing, thinking and soaking up the wonders of nature. …If successful, he will win the honor of using the smallest—and probably slowest—boat ever to circle the world without docking. “I’ll be completely safe. It’s like a ping-pong ball in the sea, it never breaks,” Mr. Yrvind said while showing the boat in his workshop. “A small boat constructed the right way is always stronger than a big boat.”

We should all be that courageous at 73, right? (Or any age, for that matter.) Happy sails, Mr. Yrvind.

I can’t help but think of the 150-foot yacht I recently was given a tour of by its owner. (Well, its owner’s crew.) The boat was a marvel of the latest technology and cost something like $50 million. Inside, it was decorated like a Trump casino—which is to say, not well. On the top deck, it had a whirlpool. An elevator connected the various floors. Flat-screen TVs (I guess there isn’t any other kind any more) populated virtually every room. Tucked away in the stern were four jet skis.

But the thing that really struck me about it was this; There was not a single window on the entire boat that actually opened…..

Tim McCarthy on Texting

Posted on November 1st, 2012 in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

The Kennnedy School lecturer posted the below on Facebook (and to those of you who think that Facebook is supposed to be private, a) this was clearly intended for widespread distribution, and b) dream on). It’s more evidence that teachers are really
grappling with maintaining students’ attention amidst an onslaught of personal technology. For what it’s worth, I applaud Tim (who’s a friend) for being so clearly upset about students who compromise a class to screw around—and for doing something about it. And I think his solution is pretty much the only viable one—and frankly, shouldn’t be such a big deal. If you can’t go an hour without web surfing or checking your email, you have a serious issue.

Tim McCarthy
To my teacher friends struggling with student texting, etc., in class-and we all are-please read the following email I just sent to my Kennedy School students:

Dear all,

I wish I didn’t have to write this. We’re in the midst of a very good term, all of us, and I don’t want to do anything to undermine that. I have never had to write an email like this to a class at the Kennedy School before. This is graduate school, after all.

But yesterday, I noticed that at least 6 of you were texting during class (you know who you are). This includes two students who made excellent contributions to the discussion, but who, when I responded to their comments, were buried in their phones. I feel like I’ve been very clear about this from the beginning-no texting, emailing, internet searching during class time. Perhaps some of you had emergencies to deal with; if that’s the case, then I will give you a pass this time. But if you have better, more interesting things to do than be fully present in class, I wish I had known this earlier in the term. I would have offered your slot in class to one of the 100+ other students who were clamoring to take the course.

I realize that this is the “new normal,” in higher education and elsewhere: to be “there” even when you’re “here,” and vice versa. Not in my class. I consider this behavior to be highly disrespectful, not only to me, but to your classmates who deserve to experience their education without being distracted by your lack of engagement. As I have said many times, when you are here, be here. Education is many things: an opportunity, a right, a privilege. But it should never be a means to an end. And it should never, ever be taken for granted. For those of you texting yesterday, that is what you communicated to all of us, and I, for one, am offended by it.

So let me be very clear: no more laptops, no more cell phones, no more distractions. If you have better things to do, go do them. I will not take offense. But understand that your grade will reflect this. Participation is 20% of your final grade. There’s a reason for that.

Very sincerely,
TPM

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